New ‘Rough Sleeping Initiative and Complex Needs Homeless’ service in East Sussex

Posted on 12 December 2022

Launched on 1st October, Southdown’s new ‘Rough Sleeping Initiative and Complex Needs Homeless’ service supports people in East Sussex who are sleeping rough or at imminent risk of being homeless.

The five East Sussex housing authorities were successful in bidding to the Department for Levelling Up to continue the work of the Rough Sleeping Initiative and appointed Southdown to deliver a single, county-wide rough sleeping support service (combining previous smaller contracts) across East Sussex. This new contract will deliver a seamless support service across the breadth of rough sleeper accommodation pathways.

The contract is delivered using a Multi-Disciplinary Team approach in collaboration with SPFT, Change Grow Live, East Sussex Healthcare Trust, the Integrated Care Board, East Sussex County Council and the probation service, to provide holistic support to people sleeping rough or at imminent risk of being homeless.

Over the past two years, a significant number of people sleeping rough have left the streets and are now living in temporary accommodation. Over the coming years the ‘Rough Sleeping Initiative and Complex Needs Homeless’ service will work to prevent people from returning to rough sleeping by helping them find settled housing.

This service is one element of East Sussex’s Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI), which is funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Hastings Borough Council is the lead partner for the initiative, on behalf of Eastbourne, Lewes, Rother and Wealden Councils. The purpose of the RSI is to end rough sleeping in East Sussex by improving access to services, temporary accommodation and long-term housing.

For further information about the ‘Housing First’ and ‘Move on and Outreach’ teams within Southdown’s ‘Rough Sleeping Initiative and Complex Needs Homeless’ service, click here.